The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-02-24

timidly.
at never knew what struck it."
ut certainly looks less brutal than shoot
ing it with shotgun, as John does, and then
not killing it outright" said Kate Il hate
what is called sport and sportsmen, but a
rifle seems"-
"Whats" said Falkner.
"More-gentlemanly."
She had raised her pretty head in the air,
and, with her hand shading her eyes, was
looking around the clear ether, and said
meditatively, II wonder-no matter
"What is it?"
"Oh, nothing"
"It is something" said Falkner, with an
amused smile, reloading his rife
"WeD, you once promised me an eagles
feather for my hat Isn't that thing an
eagle?"
II am afraid it is only hawk"
swell, that will do Shoot thatl"
Her eyes were sparkling. Falkner with.
drew his own with slight smile and raised
his rifle with provoking deliberation.
"Are you quite sure it's what you wanG!'
he asked demurely.
"Yes-quick!"
Nevertheless, it was some minutes before
the rifle cracked again. The wheeling bird
suddenly struck the wind with its wines
aslant, and then fell like a plulnmet at O
distance which showed the difficulty of the
feat. Falkner started from her side before
the bird reached the ground. He returned to
her after lapse of a few moments, bearing a
trailing wing in his hand 'tYou shall make
your choice" he said gayly
''Are you sure it was killed outrightf"
"Head shot off," said Falkner briefly.
"And, besides, the fall would have killed
it," said Kate conclusively. "It's lovely.
suppose they call you very good shotr'
"They-who?"
"Ohl the people you know-your friends
and their sisters"
George shoots better than 1 do, and has
had more experience. I've seen him do that
with pistol OF course not such long shot,
but more difficult one."
Kate did not reply, but her face showed a
conviction that as an artistic and gentle
manly performance it was probably in
ferior to the one she had witnessed Falkner,
who had picked up the hare also again took
his place by her side, as they turned toward
the house.
"Do you remember the day you came,
when we were walking here, you pointed out
that rock on the mountain where the poor
animals had taken refuge from the snowy
said Kate, suddenly.
"Yes," answered Falkner; @they seem to
have diminished. am afraid you were right;
they have either eaten each other or escaped.
Let US hope the latter"
II looked at them with glass every day, /"
said Kate, "and they've got down to only
four. There's a bear and that shabby, over
grown cat you call California lion, and a
wolf, and a creature like fox or a squirrel "
"It's pity they're not all of kind,' said
Falkner
"Whyp
"There'd be nothing to keep them from be-
ing comfortable together"
"On the contrary. should think it would
be simply awful to be shut up entirely with
ones own kind"
"Then you believe it is possible for them,
with their different natures and habits, to be
happy together7" said Falkner, with sudden
earnestness.
Il believe" said Kate hurriedly, ''that
the bear and the hon find the fox and the
wolf very amusing; and that the fox and
the wolff
"Well?" said Falkner, stopping short.
swell, the fox and the wolf will carry
away much better opinion of the lion and
bear than they had before"
They had reached the house by this time,
and for some occult reason Kate did not i'm
mediately enter the parlor, where she had
left her sister and the invalid, who had al
ready been promoted to a sofa and cushion
by the window, but proceeded directly to
her own room. As a maneuver to avoid
meeting Mrs. Hale, it was scarcely neces-
sary, for that lady was already in advance of
her on the staircase, as if she had left the
parlor moment before they entered the
house. Falkner, too, would have preferred
the company of his own thoughts, but Lee,
apparently the only unpreoccupied, all per-
vading and boyishly alert spirit in the party,
hailed him from within, and obliged him to
present himself on the threshold of the par
lor with the hare and hawks wing he was
still carrying. Eying the latter with affected
concern, Lee said gravely: "Of course, l
can eat it, Ned, and I dare say it's the best
part of the fowl, and the hare isn't more
than enough for the women, but I had no
idea we were so reduced. Three hours and
half cunning, and only one hare and a
hawks wing. It's terrible"
Perceiving that his friend was alone, Falk-
ner dropped his burden in the hall and strode
rapidly to his side. "Look here, George, we
must-I must-leave this place at once. It's
no use talking; can stand this sort of thing
no longer"
''Nor can 1, with the door open. Shut it,
and say what you want quick, before Mrs.
Hale comes back. Have you found a trail!
''No, no; that's not what mean"
"Well, it strikes me it ought to be, if you
expect to get away. Have you proposed to
Beacon Street, and she thinks it rather pre-
mature ON a weeks acquaintance"
mo; butt
"But you will, you means Don't, just
YETI
"But cannot live this perpetual lie."
'That depends. / don't know how you're
lying when I'm not with you. If you're
walking round with that girl, singing hymns
and talking of your class in Sunday school,
or if you're insinuating that you're million
aire. and think of buying the place for a
summer hotel, I should say you'd better quit
that kind of lying. But, on the other hand,
I don't see the necessity of your dancing
round here with shot gun, and yelling for
Harkins' blood, or counting that package of
greenbacks in the lap of Miss Scott, to be
truthful 1t seems to me there ought to be
something between the two"
"But, George, don't you think-you are on
such good terms with Mrs. Hale and her
mother-that you might tell them the whole
story9 That is, tell it in your own way; they
will hear anything from you and believe it. "
"Thank you: but suppose don't believe in
lying either?"